// PROPULSION SYSTEMS AND ENGINE TECHNOLOGY TERM
Ion Thruster
An ion thruster is a type of spacecraft engine that uses electricity to accelerate charged particles (ions) to produce a very gentle but continuous thrust. This makes them highly fuel-efficient and ideal for long missions in deep space.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
An ion thruster is a form of electric propulsion that generates thrust by electrostatically accelerating positive ions, created by ionizing a neutral propellant gas like Xenon or Krypton, through a series of charged grids. This technology achieves very high specific impulse (Isp) and propellant efficiency, enabling low-thrust applications such as satellite station-keeping and primary propulsion for deep space missions.
BACKGROUND
An ion thruster, ion drive, or ion engine is a form of electric propulsion used for spacecraft propulsion. An ion thruster creates a cloud of positive ions from a neutral gas by ionizing it to extract some electrons from its atoms. The ions are then accelerated using electricity to create thrust. Ion thrusters are categorized as either electrostatic or electromagnetic.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- ion engine
- ion drive
- gridded ion thruster
- electrostatic thruster
- ion propulsion system
USAGE NOTE
Because of their very low thrust, ion thrusters are only effective in the vacuum of space and are used for gradual orbital maneuvers, not for launching from a planet.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Ion Thruster.
A major American aerospace manufacturer that developed the NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster - Commercial) gridded ion thruster, used on NASA's DART mission. They produce a range of electric propulsion systems.
A US company specializing in advanced electric propulsion. They develop a wide range of thrusters, including gridded ion engines and Hall thrusters, for spacecraft of all sizes. Their thrusters flew on the LISA Pathfinder mission.
A leading NASA center for space propulsion research. They were instrumental in developing the NSTAR ion thruster for the Deep Space 1 mission and the more advanced NEXT series of thrusters.
Japan's national space agency, which successfully developed and utilized microwave ion engines (μ10) for the primary propulsion on the Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 asteroid sample-return missions.
Through its Electron Technologies division, L3Harris manufactures the Xenon Ion Propulsion System (XIPS), a type of gridded ion thruster that has been used extensively for station-keeping on commercial geostationary satellites for decades.
A Franco-Italian aerospace manufacturer that develops and integrates electric propulsion systems for its satellite platforms. They produce both gridded ion engines and Hall thrusters, such as their PPS (Plasma Propulsion Subsystem) product line.
A division of the French multinational company Safran, they are a major European developer of spacecraft propulsion, including the PPS® family of Hall effect thrusters, a widely used type of ion thruster for satellite station-keeping and orbit raising.
A French company specializing in the development of electric propulsion systems (Hall thrusters) and mission solutions specifically for the small satellite market, enabling enhanced maneuverability and mission lifetime.